# Episode 34: The Unregulated Profession: Why Lighting Design Needs Licensing Now

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lighting-matters-6960087/episode-34-the-unregulated-profession-why-lighting-design-needs-licensing-now
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lighting-matters-6960087/episode-34-the-unregulated-profession-why-lighting-design-needs-licensing-now.md
Podcast: [Lighting Matters](https://stenobird.com/podcast/lighting-matters-6960087)
Published: 2026-05-19T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://lightingmatterspodcast.com/episodes/episode-34-the-unregulated-profession-why-lighting-design-needs-licensing-now
Audio file: https://episodes.castos.com/66889601ede0f5-02583431/2465899/c1e-o2vwxsjmxwdujk80r-8d8ggwj4tq6x-cdc0d4.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/lighting-matters-6960087/episodes/episode-34-the-unregulated-profession-why-lighting-design-needs-licensing-now
Duration seconds: 3529

## Resource

Why does the profession that shapes how humans experience every built space they occupy still have no regulatory recognition — anywhere in the world?Dawn Brown, CLD, Design IALD, Lighting Designer at Ontario Aesthetic Lighting Design (OALD), joins Avi and Lisa for a direct look at the future of the profession. The conversation covers the persistent divide between interior designers and lighting designers, Dawn's proposal to regulate lighting design in Ontario, and the science case for circadian and wellness lighting. "If we know there's something we can do to prevent harm, why not just do it?" Engineering addresses the conscious mind. Lighting design influences the subconscious. That distinction, Dawn argues, is why professional recognition is long overdue. In This Episode: (00:00) Dawn Brown's path from architecture to lighting design (09:05) Interior designers and the lighting design disconnect (14:29) Engineering serves the conscious mind, design serves the subconscious (20:49) Proposing lighting design regulation to Ontario's Parliament (27:39) IES recommended practices, professional liability, and malpractice (38:10) Why CLDs must lead wellness and circadian design (42:28) Circadian lighting adoption: barriers and the next generation (50:03) Reaching interior designers and elevating the profession (56:01) The boardroom moment that made Dawn a lighting designer Would you be interested in sponsoring our podcast? Reach out to us. Share your thoughts, comments, like and subscribe to hear all of our informative upcoming episodes! About the show: Lighting Matters is hosted by Lisa Reed and Avi Mor. In each episode, we’ll dig deep into the meticulous process of creating lighting design for architecture, showcasing industry leaders who balance artistic creativity with tec…

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## Transcript

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